Railway bridge switch



June 9, 1925.

D. A. PICKENS RAILWAY BRIDGE WITCH le Jung l6, 19214 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4241/15 A Pic/rem. I

June 9, 1925. 1,540,949

D. A. PICKENS RAILWAY BRIDGE SWITCH [Filed June 1.6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 27 2,4 Z3 Z8 [1.35 23 3 l 2' 3 8 V W 7%? /0 .Fg Z F139. 6'.

. I gwu mwoz flay/ 5 A. P/c/wm.

Patented June 9, 1925. V

UNITED STAT DAVIS A. PIGKENS, O1 JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

RAILWAY BRIDGE SWITCH.

Applicationfiled Jan is, 1924. $eria1 No. 720,246. 2

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, DAvIsv A. PIo nNs, residing at Jackson, in the county of "Hinds and State of Mississippi, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Bridge Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to railway bridge switches which are designed mainly for temporary or occasional use. It is frequently desirable tohave aswitch which can be put in use easily when it is necessary to switch trains around wrecks or make use of steam shovels and other construction or repair machinery.

An object of the invention is to provide a switch which may be easily installed without cutting or otherwise changing the main line track;

Another object is to provide a switch which may be turned back easily and quickly so as topermit the main line track tobe used without interference or danger;

A further object is to provide a bridge switch having members which will be safely locked in place when the bridge switch is to be used;

And a further object is to provide a switch of ample strength which can be made oi very light construction so that it can be carried on tool cars andbe handled without di'h'iculty. v

With these objects and other objects hereinafter set forth in view, the invention comprises the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway track showing the bridge switch in use;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the railway track showing bridging members of the switch turned back out of use;

Figure 3"isan elevation of the first inside rail "bridge over member with a partial section along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure l is a view of the under side of the second inside rail bridge over member;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of two bridge over members with a partial section taken taken along line 6- 6- of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an elevation of the second inside bridge over member with'a seotio taken along line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the first inside rail bridge over member along line 7.-7 of Figure 1; and I Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the outside rail bridge over member along line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates an inside rail and 2 an outside rail of a railway track. 3 indicates an inside rail bridge over member having trunnion ends 4 and 5 supported'in the end blocks 6 and 7 which are mounted on'the railway ties or other supports. End blocksG and 7 are designed particularly to combine strength, lightness and ease of attachment to the railway ties or other supports. The bridge over member 8ccarries the rail {portion 8 which is provided with downwardly extending plates 9 and 10 adapted to bear against the sides .of rails 1 and 11, rail 11 being one ot the auxiliary, rails used in connection with the bridge switch. Plates 9 and 10 serve as a bracing means to secure member 3 against wheel thrust. As shown in Figure 3, the rail portion'8 is thick the major part ofits length so as to be able to supportrailway rolling stock while the ends of said rail portion taper down so as to present little "resistance to the passage of wheels. The bridge over member 3 has the open spaces 12 and 13 in order to allow ample clearance for the upwardly extending portions of the end blocks 6 and 7 when the member 3 is to'be turned back as shown in Figure 2. The bridge over member 3 is preferably shaped as shown in order to combine strength with lightness.

The outside rail bridge 'over member '14 is similar in construction and operation to member i'l except that the downwardly ex tending plates 9 and 10 are not necessary and a groove 22 must be provided for the passage of wheel flanges. The inembeiil t is provided with trunnion ends '16 and 17 supported in end blocks 18 and 19. The mem- 'ber 14; has the openings 20 and 21 to allow clearance for the upwardly extending portions of end blocks 18 and 19. The rail portion 15 is similar in shape to rail portion 8 of member 3, but a groove 22 is provided just inside of rail portion 15 in orderto permit passage-of wheel flanges. Rail portion 15 is flat on itsunder side so as to fit down on parts of rails 2 and 23, rail 23 being a second auxiliary rail used in connection with the bridge switch. The under side of member 1a is preferably a groove similar to groove 22 may be provided. The member 24 is supported on the block 26 and is pivoted on a bolt 27. Secured to the under side of member 24: are block-like portions 28 and 2) which are adapted for sliding on a supporting block 30 mounted on railway tie or other support. The block-like port-ion 28 is arranged to lit against the side of rail 1 when the member 24 is in use (the position shown in Figure 1) thereby serving as a bracing means for holding member 24 against wheel thrust; block-like portion 28 also serves as astop acting against block 26 when member 2 1 is in the position shown in Figure 2, thereby serving to hold rail portion 25 substantially parallel with rail 1 when the switch is not in use. Rail portion 25 is adapted to rest on rails 23 and 31, rail 31 also being an auxiliary rail used in connection with the bridge switch. 1

32, 33, and 34: indicate bracing wedges adapted. to aid in holding and positioning the auxiliary rails 11, 23 and 31.

As shown in Figure 2, when the bridge overmembers 3, 14 and 24: are turned back, the main line rails 1 and 2 are perfectly clear. As shown in Figure 1, when the bridge over members are placed in use, a

strong and safe bridge over switch having its members secured against wheel thrust is provided.

It should be noted that the supporting blocks for the three rail bridging members are of such shape that they may be easily spiked or otherwise secured to the railway ties or other supports. As provision is made for transferring wheel thrust from the rail bridging members to the main line rails themselves, the supporting blocks for these members need not be so securely fastened down as would otherwise be the case. i

It should be understood that any change in the shape of the switch members may be made for the purpose of lightening or strengthening them without affecting the essential features of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a railway bridge switch, thecom bination with main line rails and auxiliary rails forming a switch track of three rail bridging members, each comprising a supporting body and a rail portion having tapered ends secured thereto, trunnions and supports for two of said rail bridging members arranged to permit these bridging members to be turned back in order to leave the main line rails clear or to be turned over so as to place the rail portion of each on top of a main line rail and an auxiliary switching rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one rail to the other, and a pivot and supporting means for the third rail bridging member arranged to permit this member to be swung back on its pivot inorder to leave the main line rail clear orto be swung forward so as to place its rail portion on top of parts of two auxiliary switching rails and the main line rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one auxiliary rail to the other.

.2. In a railway bridge switch, the'combination with main line rails and'auxiliary rails forming a switch track of three rail bridging members, each comprising a sup porting body and a rail portion having tapered ends secured thereto, trunnions secured to two of said rail bridging members arranged to permit these bridging members to be turned back in order to leave the main line rails clear or to be turned over so as to place the rail portion of each on top of a main line rail and an auxiliary switching rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one rail to the other, trunnion supports shaped to be easily securable to the main rail supports, a pivot for, the third rail bridging member arranged to permit, this member to be swung back on its pivot in order to leavethe main line rail clear or to be swung forward so as to place its rail portion on top of parts of two auxiliary switching rails and the main line rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one auxiliary switching rail to the other, and sup-- porting; means for the third rail bridging member and its pivot shaped to be easily securableto the main rail supports.

3. In a railway bridge switch, the co1nbination with main line rails and auxiliary rails forming a switch track of three rail bridging members, each comprising a supportmg body and a rail portion having tapered ends secured thereto, trunnions and supports for two of said rail bridging members arranged to permit these bridging membersto be turned back in order to leave the main linerails clear or to be turned over so as to place the rail portion of each on top of a main line rail and an auxiliary switching railin order to cause a wheel to pass from one rail to-the other, a pivot and supporting means for the third rail bridging member arranged to permit this member to be swung back on its pivot inorder to leave the main line rail clear or to be swung forward so as to place its railv portion on top of parts of two auxiliary rails and the mainline rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one auxiliary. switching rail to the other, and bracing means secured to each rail bridging member adapted to bear against parts of rails to secure the members against wheel thrust.

4. In a railway bridge switch, theecombination with a main line rail and auxiliary switching rails of a rail bridging member having a supporting body and a rail portion having tapered ends secured thereto, a vertical pivot and horizontal supporting means arranged to be mounted outside a main line rail so asto permit the rail bridging member to be swung back on its pivot in order to leave the main line rail clear or to be swung forward so as to place its rail portion on top of parts of the auxiliary switching rails and the main line rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one auxiliary switching rail to the other, and a check block secured to the under side of the rail bridging member adapted to bear against the main line rail when the member is in its forward position.

5. In a railway bridge switch, the com bination with a main line rail and auxiliary switching rails of a rail bridging member having a supporting body and a rail portion having tapered ends secured thereto, a vertical pivot and horizontal supporting means arranged to be mounted outside a main line rail so as to permit the rail bridging mem-, her to be swung back on its pivot in order to leave the main line rail clear or to be swung forward so as to place its rail portion on top of parts of the auxiliary switching rails and the main line rail in order to cause a wheel to pass from one auxiliary switching rail to the other, a check block secured to the under side of the rail bridging me1nber adapted to bear against the main line rail when the member is in its forward position, and a block secured to the rail support in position to be struck by the check block when the rail bridging member is turned back.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

DAVIS A. PIOKENS. 

